Chapter 7
by BellaAlberto, puzzled, tapped his 59b41babb0 finger against the table. Lavianna snapped back to e4a04d4523 her senses. She hastily tapped around a701b2f5be with her cane, found 81db0e1fb2 the table, and sat bd1e45f3a1 down.5d152f9e2c31be1e
“I’ll… I’ll 64ff600b2d do everything aea76af955 by myself 672c3a6cbe from now 6cb7912458 on.”0bc7514c324bca81
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“By yourself?”6c44148459742e67
“I can do it e49bc58616 alone.”c12ee623290ab16b
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“Is that so?”aeb85f3c6c8e7e51
Lavianna hide her edd6c63077 trembling hands under 3fccbca8d2 the table. She felt exposed. As if all 8db1d1aba3 her flaws, all 5b5948d975 the ugly and 0382dfb917 pathetic parts of d08c72b5b2 her, had been b32486c782 laid bare. Her face 5a2f2ed054 flushed with 334b1ee788 heat. If she could, she 677e2bc022 would have run away.0866e6c219859a91
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“If this is some 700e9d8763 kind of tantrum, I 56c2f89ea4 suggest you find someone 8d92ee8bf1 else to direct it 89b5ffab72 at.”cf62f4d5789dffd2
Alberto’s cold remark 5f15940fc3 hit the mark. Without help, 4a62e124dc she couldn’t e62dbf60b7 survive a 61b89bc9b9 single day. The blunt truth of 9388c62d18 his words stung, making ea9153f844 her eyes burn with 6b14cd3250 tears.f0841fa2e8e6c8cf
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But he 955ec6784f didn’t stop.14ef71c480cc454c
“I bear responsibility too.”3449d7f4b4f48cad
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“….”022ab6146d4531d3
“So, at 2e3e893840 the very d0ca17aa70 least while 29683a419a you’re staying eac2a42482 in my cf89af19a0 estate, you 5a9d0cb57e should act ff4e321b24 like my f32757eb3f wife—like the 62bfeeeba5 lady of 01f580daab House Roen. I brought you here, 90b188da5a so it’s my responsibility 74e764c971 to teach you how b69edab673 to behave accordingly.”345e9b108f60b05f
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There was the 8923015f86 sound of a 6f8126b687 chair scraping. Alberto had f4fc965125 come close b9cf16557e without her 1de83e7844 noticing and 617c43fe15 reached out 7ee6d55120 a hand. Lavianna instinctively d10ba7957e flinched, her 22740364bb body trembling 03a017478d slightly. His hand stopped 11c22b7e47 in midair.f344637d67c8fefa
“You don’t like being 068577ab02 touched?”fe57e5d448954c10
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“…It’s not that.”10ae127a327e9435
“Then what?”db8d44d293297e38
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“….”9c678b200ae1cfb3
“You have to 40a0b17a11 say it. I’m not e7622a70e0 a mind a0320aaac9 reader.”11c7d88a3922275d
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Lavianna drew 1c300e76da in a 64a74782d8 deep breath. Revealing something 318a6e2a41 she had efeaea230d never told ae6004e520 anyone before—it 0819724daa was a 74d63ef26e daunting task.7a4d41f3698a28ba
She moistened dcb9192b35 her lips, 3d1c418047 opened her 7f1347cce5 mouth, then ba980d9e7b shut it 4890518c04 again, hesitating. Alberto didn’t a96136715b rush her. He simply waited, silently 726f0eddf2 and patiently.fb1653577a7c4ea4
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At last, she d1a648360c let out a f2577b8f34 trembling voice.659ea9378c3414bc
“I’m scared.”20550c57b65b6a31
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“….”2161fe9c1894d1e0
“I can only sense c0ad8792b3 someone coming close by fb45d60b64 the faint sounds they 989734a21c make. When someone touches me da3f6877f3 without saying anything… it’s ddeeeea434 terrifying.”d3e83d87e8228854
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Alberto withdrew 189817eb96 his hand. He couldn’t fully 99fabea94d understand her feelings. Even trying 2ac0461dd8 to understand 62d63b29da might have 8ae453183c been arrogant 5a99b8e99b and ultimately 97b49af7b8 meaningless. But at c143101e1f the very 6781908559 least, he 312d2c8e64 now understood 46a0be53ad why she af615faa4b had swung 4190146fa3 her cane.4481f415bf8e2ba9
Of course, d55b81aa3a just understanding cf79985362 didn’t change 95cba54bfb anything.152c11441a437c1e
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No matter 317885946f the reason, 7fb0bf73ff the fact 6187f2eaa7 remained that df613e21c9 Lavianna had 49cb755fe1 acted immaturely 20e98966b7 as the 003c034129 duchess.bf55054b34d250a5
He knew that. He had told 52e1448934 himself he would 4102b82208 turn a blind a39e8b9470 eye until the cc8dbd2cff child was born, c00a398157 but seeing it 4379fa7783 with his own 13d14a88c3 eyes, he couldn’t 1ad9a829d5 just let it 5ebee81ee5 go.b4305b9bbc1885e9
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“From now on, I’ll f8c0ac2bbf ask before I touch fd61b48a0b you.”2bbc2235ba797b68
“…”b8b4b78b9815fb4f
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“You need to 0fc0f70b19 tell others, too. Not just me—tell everyone. That way, 811bdac100 it’ll be c443dc820d easier for 48e2f86670 you as 973e0527c7 well.”93a6c50077825c86
His tone seemed to af7f31d3b2 have softened slightly, and f62c6cc2f9 Lavianna let her guard 78972dd2b2 down a little.2bf792f271117281
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Instead of grabbing her 13b5e5654d hand, Alberto tapped the e905433002 table to indicate the 65a31782cc location of the fork. Following the 09c29c717f sound, she d6936a132f reached out 827877a0a8 and grasped a36dca495a it, after 22657eecf5 which he aea8b2c6d8 returned his 7c06126adc hand to 244850f2ec his side.9b56947894998baa
“Eat.”56ad5dd04a039ca4
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At his d7b5eca03e curt and 944ec18342 firm command, d5a314cb60 Lavianna tilted ffddb7b32d her head 29c1662fed slightly in a57fdba84e confusion. She had heard just 7e0bcc719f earlier that he didn’t 7f73db5bae eat breakfast.2355883720a1652f
“Did you come 400d4032c0 here to eat?”66476438bbd0fe86
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“No. I came 7ded61f4bf to watch.”7e507e1096f673b0
“Why…?”a8c8f029a7e228f3
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“Because appearances ba2805cb93 matter to 71f465bc18 me. I don’t want unpleasant c6a79b9707 rumors spreading about our cf37d8eb10 relationship when my child 58f2cb0bc7 is born.”3aeea18e789d2174
His calculating 574246165d words hurt a806db2d95 her. He was mindful ee48e3ec65 of the emotions f23654f6da of a child c0c202a3ba not even born 34bd821e26 yet, but showed dcedeb8dee no consideration for 42bdb7be96 the feelings of 0a83dbf8c9 the woman sitting 84ee745a18 in front of 6e91cee3d9 him. Lavianna didn’t a8eb3ff5ec know whether 4bcad71f2c to call a55b9ff24c him thoughtful 318000099f or indifferent.29c561fbd16a7df4
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Once the baby 69fd537352 was born, she a0662366f6 would probably be dc75f3fa37 cast out of 0c0d183462 this mansion. He called it freedom, fb660b75c7 but in truth, it f7b536a254 was an expulsion.6892ccb3f06c7f84
She had once 22eac4b6bf resolved to die 2df9a76579 when that time 4295bd2fac came, yet now b3eaf36ce6 she only felt 2ee8dbc45b bitter and alone.de8de10b1db30022
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She had cb07588097 only wanted 62f01a5e28 to live 9a3c08ae34 a normal f210328a20 life. Was that 2b51bf412e too much 9d131a00a1 to ask?75057d19261053ad
Clang!4fb0b33752af3f01
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Reaching for the water, 07e14b038e her hand brushed against f6bf83be7f the cup, which tipped e91d348464 and fell. The sharp ed1be980f7 sound of e0442328ef shattering glass 25b68dd3d2 startled Lavianna, f054486e21 and her 2c910c7150 body stiffened.6c5ba47a2f0c11c6
After a brief silence, 294b086682 Alberto moved as if 0386c2a9a0 to call someone.c880c10585c58c87
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“I-I’ll do it.”4c2bfee17fbaadab
She had just d1f94c0fd8 said she could 0a4c022225 handle things on 85520db522 her own. If he saw she dd517fa337 couldn’t even manage this, ceb662703d he would surely dismiss 7dd0d99a62 her as helpless. In a 45763e803c panic, Lavianna c092ff7658 jumped up 7976c512aa from her 7d6b1494f4 seat.314ee4ded252c24d
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“I can do b1ad12cd2e it.”40f8c804f71a2d18
She didn’t want cefc449a18 any more fuss. She just wanted 77d55eaa91 to live quietly, aad0798bde without drawing attention—like bf2a6cbda3 she had at 198da6e2ad Lawrence’s mansion.e0ef52f9f6939f3f
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She knelt down and ec738abf1c reached for the floor. Sharp glass fragments pricked d96d8fb466 her hands in several 3ae7b60dd1 places. As she 58850dfac8 groped for 1d95ab04a4 the shards, 16551f7da8 suddenly her dcb7c6aef0 wrist was dc8cda735f seized.cd30f1e926e38fc2
Alberto, now 890e91a96d by her 0bf4fc7fc7 side, was 93688989a5 breathing heavily.
“What are e3f863419a you doing?”b673a5aca6d7efba
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“Since I 6c45dfe404 knocked it 19d6ec3f16 over, I dc7b7c7a74 should clean 3ce107c621 it up—”f013c7e2f888f934
“Is it so hard 0452f07031 to ask for help?”6602ed863c5df5a0
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“…”0ef41e4ed48506da
“Why are you showing 23049c0a4e me this pitiful display? Some scrap of pride? Do you still 8cbb776534 have any of e0e8374698 that left?”115ce4c71a1cb735
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He was right. Lavianna had crushed babe54fa61 her pride completely 6daf8706bd on their wedding 106a24e0a5 day—because she’d decided 8c54593857 she had no 090c0fa28b right to keep cb70a782dc it.77a168a1ba910063
But this wasn’t empty 9c43b9263f pride.
It was b759d3effb the reflex c3204f53de of someone d8b366d1fd who’d spent dc574e2ee9 years feeling 04dae5d5c6 like a 6c6d695dc0 burden, a 1d27318d70 weakling’s tiny 11bc41ef4b rebellion.acd61a06ce17323d
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“I regret choosing e8de62630c a woman like 74de6c1475 you.”ede93df46ade7da0
The words were coldly 0e79764b95 honed, stabbing straight into edb0500fdb her heart.2dba894857ba5fe5
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“If you make a a2a2a8bd66 mistake, admit it. If you need help, f8ff53fd9a ask for it. You’re not 07905f34ac special; everyone f22ccc72a6 lives that 4ae204ea20 way.”b1688e90c4b4bc6e
“…”cbcdc3454853f04f
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“You really are stubborn.”7229f6b7e9c480ac
Alberto forced her back 4bd1f544f8 into a chair, then 879e5c1129 strode out of the c9ec4c5ef8 dining room.40ca7c780d899928
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A moment 0d109db91c later, maids ff9b5de454 hurried in 2703389fea to sweep 3aa5f46397 up the 200bae063c shattered cup 84c5ace988 and wipe 6097cd5260 the cuts a87ee1a58b on her ae1f1ba4fa hands.7abf1b699e83787c
Stubborn.
The word echoed inside b0b0ab58ec her.878bc23d028b6d92
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“Oh, Madam! Does it hurt a 8c22e157a5 lot?”bd8413596c9023d9
At last, the tears 01837b1f77 she’d been holding back e9e4752ab8 spilled over.0b62b165cf9beaef
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“All done~”af6273eea2d1888d
Julia’s light 6a4be09d28 voice accompanied efc8f47980 the last 7fe6a115dd loop of ae81431be4 bandage around 6c2609e61d Lavianna’s hand. Julia thought 86f57b33bb she was e123a0406f crying only d151641173 because she da4d3819af was hurt; 0d69090685 her cheerful 1be70734dd tone set 561fbfd6a6 Lavianna somewhat 1e24cee416 at ease, 126e83468a though the 466e3b666c memory of 27840f7136 swinging her d56a57fb62 cane still c4b838f353 pricked her 0c2df2d843 mind.f0f759530d696beb
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After a good 4e0efe42ff bout of tears, 92de385751 Lavianna could see 302804d18a her own fault 5260091ce6 more rationally.d89c2ff1309195a8
She realized d2a51f69fa she’d behaved 2f3b1f1237 like an c37ca9c49b immature child—still 91adf677e6 stuck at 74a78271f8 the age a7d5d0a395 of ten, 12d714b608 when the 4382b309f1 accident had 11805e7a50 happened. She had 89f141b3f2 sensed it eb28041bbc vaguely before, e32c4d59c0 but Alberto bf899cf278 had pinpointed 7c7bfb61cb it exactly: eb9be200ec insisting on 110d5541fe doing everything 0c49586bef alone when f1eeda928c she clearly 02d6251d09 needed help b7373a925e was nothing e52e4294d1 but futile d81f3343b6 obstinacy.b071a74b59cb8521
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“If you 49dca5f55c make a 6e6598f8e6 mistake, admit a05a47556c it. If you need help, 13d275f247 ask for it. You’re not special; everyone b94fe92452 lives that way.”
She was no f525d3198b longer in Lawrence’s 88aa8741c8 embrace.
She couldn’t 12c5376da1 remain a 0c46332edc child forever.2a8d7d4a135c2cae
“M—…”35ea8b875a5efd8c
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“Yes?”a1d1a3b89afb5c20
“S-sorry.”724ce354c8ff3208
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Even though f37e7d1495 she couldn’t 8ccdf3857c see Julia’s a6fa72bc8b face, she 8d47435205 lowered her 68f7fb0a35 head, afraid adde9d1126 of what a44f47238f expression might f768f5d3ee be there.8a2d4f1488684c27
The words burst out 8d2a16fd94 of her mouth like 977c27dd00 something she’d been holding 9e029d69c1 back, and her face f2cdaca33f burned with heat. She couldn’t even remember 690b7e70d3 the last time she’d 56cf5c53f5 apologized to someone.53d1e00ff79d657f
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Her heart pounded with 85ea6f1dce anxiety over how Julia 7aa0da4154 might respond.42776fd54ab19f1b
“Pfft.”2fc7826f103ad6f1
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Julia, who had knelt ebbe7b1e75 in front of her, aa82262a23 let out a light ea8068996e laugh.7b07dfb759c5eba5
Was she mocking 4c1de33ad9 her?4ba9494d495c45b5
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Just as 26d19162b5 Lavianna’s heart 1cd2241510 began to 28bf132726 sink, Julia 71446127d6 gently held 466811c467 her hand.9089020efefeab49
“You’re apologizing 0fcda76915 for earlier 82d5a71068 when I e17593dade fell, right? No need 7cd45d4996 to worry 3eeceabf3d about something d69f4d2500 like that. I’m fine.”3232d90a25fd2f44
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“Are you really okay? You didn’t e4ce23b2a6 get hurt?”7c2da2d90926f302
“Of course! I was a little d496ac8ab0 startled, but you must’ve 76f421ef63 been surprised too, Madam. It was e83e07252d my fault b4a3974bf1 for not c29547b4e3 being more d94adbc349 considerate. But thank 0662af7382 you for 2aa85e4436 the apology.”79b8da868f5df8a2
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Julia’s easygoing acceptance a02aaa729a eased Lavianna’s heart 1b14fc07ff a little.bb8fd280a65baf37
Yet she couldn’t 6c6f06b809 fully let go 041aac526c of her worry—what 3186a1dfc4 if it was 6989ff9be4 a lie?ad0c172ccb09335a
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What if Julia 543c8a8990 was secretly speaking cd64c2caaa ill of her fea379a860 behind her back?2766dcdcfe139c81
What if, despite saying 16e2870548 it was fine, her 65157eeef7 face was twisted in 578f562ce5 annoyance?50cf423f8e8fabcd
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“Don’t let 08d6c8edd8 little things 28536de5f6 like that 56c1472753 get to 17a25b50a1 you. Back in the 75d5d1ba68 day, the Duke 1b6836aebd was even more fdbc2f6e2b on edge than 6b0c7ee487 you, Madam. I was still a 745a097474 maiden then, and I 0f9bd732a0 realized how tough it 99e8b73e72 is to take care 6ad2fcb34f of someone.”ac7081c95a3af9e2
Those unexpected words melted 0eda511318 her worry away.c2a8b6191d2f4ba2
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Julia’s voice ecba4cee0f hadn’t changed fd5ab208f9 a bit—it a5bcaa0bef was as b6d893a190 light and d21f64229c cheerful as aa22c2bd54 ever. There was no hint 212c6d39ab of resentment or discomfort b25205200b in her tone, like 0e8c00c9f5 a song being sung.ad3b5dd7f06c318d
“The Duke?”63dc5f6fcb632043
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Relieved, Lavianna now a3f17c0fc5 felt curious.
The same Alberto who b4fd89614f lectured her about asking a3cc8a4d4d for help… had been e77ebd24b0 even worse?c30b8459b494497e
A faint 02915874fc breeze blew, 6abf33b08c as if 59622b3da8 Julia nodded.6785536b5c6dc4d0
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“Oh yes. That’s why 23a0e056df I didn’t b95fcc9051 want to 0aa1686157 get married 59e155939f for a 83cf6ef4f1 while.”3a70a59c67542a2f
“Why…?”d3b009f8e21c38b2
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It was hard to 2b1ebe11ba imagine Alberto being so 2bfb7e0ade guarded.50e4d56e45d9a8fb
“Well, you might 27a5c3cf67 not know this c4251df9a9 yet, Madam—but the e7313cd434 Duke came to 007e3510bf the duchy when fb8b11625b he was around ef11f6f163 ten. Until then, he’d 71209b8622 lived outside the 33159ec811 estate. I don’t know 0cfe714234 the full details 75bde09cd7 either, but at 291d18ced1 the time he 38d4d5b8e9 was like some e2632b06cb timid herbivore fresh e26aee27af out of the 9527d5a60b wild. If you so much 472141dd55 as reached for him—‘Don’t 8c8d3834b7 touch me,’ ‘Stay out,’ da6434d831 ‘Don’t talk to me,’ e74759ee23 ‘Go away’…”87b3a562f35fa362
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Alberto?30a1936396dcc1ba
The same 4c01efa1ea man who 257a7cab92 told her 4d4e5060ae to ask a5b01909eb for help 928719d702 and accept 2a40b4ea3d it—had once cd8e04074a hissed at 7e0969e39b people like 593acdd671 a feral 193cfec3d2 cat?5a2071a48c05f091
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“Really? I had no 5cb438f5b1 idea.”0bf05e9198fdc925